Anyone I Want
by HopeCoppice
Summary: Vlad could have anyone he wanted. Bertrand has to watch as he does. B/V slash, general promiscuity, possible OOC Vlad.


**Due to me being an idiot, this got posted at the end of 'Choice' by mistake. Sorry about that! Please enjoy it here as it was meant to be seen.**

**Disclaimer: *yawn* Not mine.**

Vlad could have any vampire he wanted, from the moment he turned eighteen. What eighteen-year-old could resist such power?

He'd been discreet, at first; Bertrand had only noticed the assortment of visitors who dropped into Vlad's room because he was in charge of security and had to search them on their way in. Their intentions hadn't been hard to deduce. Then Vlad had hired his own personal guards and they took over most of Bertrand's duties. The vampires traipsing in and out of the school increased in number and variety, and some of them even accompanied him to class during the day, presumably to boost Vlad's street cred. That, it seemed, was working.

By the time they all uprooted to more fitting accommodation for the Grand High Vampire, after he'd finished college, Bertrand was beginning to wish he didn't still have to train him. After all, Vlad was more than capable of learning on his own, now, and more than strong enough to face any threat that came at him. Still, he kept Bertrand around, forcing him to watch as the stream of lovers continued to pass by. In fairness, there were a few vampires Vlad seemed to genuinely enjoy the company of, but he certainly didn't do 'exclusive'. It seemed as if he'd called every vampire walking – male or female, he didn't seem to mind as long as they weren't related to him – to his coffin, with the obvious exception of his tutor.

Bertrand wasn't sure how he felt about the resentment welling up inside him, but he did know that if he didn't get away soon, he was going to snap.

"Your Grandness?"  
"_Bertrand_." The word was a reproach as much as a greeting. How many times had Vlad told him to call him by his name? "What can I do for you?" His trainer nodded in acknowledgement of his own mistake before continuing as if nothing had happened.  
"I've come to hand in my notice, if you'll accept it." The Chosen One kept his face blank and impassive as he answered.  
"I see. Why?" Bertrand didn't answer, and Vlad didn't push. "Well, you're still part of the household, I won't take back your access to the library or anything. Which I'm sure is what you want more time to enj-"  
"I won't be staying."

Vlad raised an eyebrow, struggling to hold his serene mask in place.  
"Then I can't accept that." His trainer was clearly taken aback by that, but he nodded stiffly.  
"May I ask why not, si- Vlad?"  
"Your presence is required." Suddenly he realised that wouldn't do, not any more. Not if Bertrand wanted to leave. "I need you here."

The words were so quiet, so intense that Bertrand thought he must have misunderstood something.  
"With respect, you haven't needed my training for at least a year now-"  
"Not the training. Bertrand, you have to stay." He could hear the panic in his former student's voice, now, even if he didn't understand it. Vlad stood from his desk and paced away from him, apparently deep in thought, before turning.  
"Is this about me sleeping around? I know you're concerned about security, but my guards are very-"  
"It's not about security. What you do in your own coffin is none of my affair." However much he sometimes wished they were, the Chosen One's diurnal activities were really nothing to do with him.  
"I can explain." Bertrand should have reminded him that he didn't need to justify himself to anyone, least of all Bertrand, but curiosity won out and he remained silent, waiting.

"I could have anyone I want." Bertrand knew this; did he have to rub it in? "Except you." A tense silence stretched out between them before Bertrand managed to make his voice work.  
"What?"  
"I thought the others would make me forget, but... they don't. They haven't. Some of them left because I wouldn't stop talking about this unattainable person. I talked about you enough to make people walk out on the _Grand High Vampire_." Vlad's words were tumbling out, now, as if he'd been bottling up too much and now it all had to come out as fast as possible. "And then I could see it bothered you, having to search them all as they came in, but I couldn't tell you _why _I needed them, so I got a new guard detail. And then _that_ upset you so I stopped making you work with them, and I know training's been boring for you lately but I needed that time with you."  
"I... don't understand." Vlad sighed.

"I've had the biggest crush on you since I met you, Bertrand, and it won't go away. But... that's not a good enough reason to stop you leaving if you want, so I accept-"  
"I withdraw my resignation." He snatched the letter from Vlad's desk to prove it. "I'd like to stay."  
"What?" Vlad looked completely nonplussed, and it seemed it was Bertrand's turn to confess. It took him a moment to sort out his jumbled thoughts.  
"It was never about inconvenience, or even security, really. I was jealous." He frowned. "You took every other vampire in the world to your coffin, and the one who actually _knew_ you and wanted you for more than just your power... I was pushed away."

Vlad stared at him, aghast.  
"I thought you weren't interested. You never said anything – I thought I was just a kid to you, I was your student-"  
"You were my _student_, and the Grand High Vampire. The two kinds of people furthest out of bounds. How could I have said anything?"  
"But you-?"  
"Yes. And you-?"  
"Bertrand, we're kind of idiots." The older vampire looked mildly affronted by that, until Vlad reached out and took his hand. "Can we be idiots together?"


End file.
